Boiling Eggs for Beginner Cooks

Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse and should be included in our diets in some form or another.

Every beginner cook needs to learn how to boil eggs. Soft boiled eggs are wonderful for breakfast or a light dinner. Hard boiled eggs are used for everything from potato salad to delicious deviled eggs. The quality of the eggs you buy really does matter so read up on —> how to buy the best eggs at the grocery store.

How to Boil an Egg for Soft boiled or Hard boiled:

A small pan will work perfectly for 2 or 3 eggs but a much larger pan is needed for more eggs. Try to determine how many eggs can fit in a single layer on the bottom of your pan before you start the water.

The best method is to bring the water to a boil first and then place cold eggs into the water AFTER it has begun to boil.

1. Make sure that you start out with enough water – lay one egg in an empty pot and begin filling the pot with water until the water just covers the egg. The water should cover the egg by 1 inch or a little more.

2. Remove the egg from the pot and bring the water to a rolling boil. Once the water is boiling, very carefully place the eggs into the pan making sure they are on a single layer on the bottom of the pot or pan. This is best done with a large spoon.

3. Cook the eggs for 6-9 minutes. (See Below)

4. Using the same large spoon, gently lift the eggs from the pan and place them immediately into cold water. This will stop the cooking process and allow the eggs to cool enough to handle.

OR – if you are cooking all the eggs the exact same way, carefully drain the water from the pan and fill with cold water.

5. Let eggs sit in cold water for about 2 minutes.

6. Remove the eggs and VERY gently tap the egg on the side of the sink or the counter top. Make a couple taps until you can gently start to lift the peel with your thumb.

Peeling the eggs is a careful process so don’t rush this part.

Cook the Eggs for:

– 6 minutes if you want a soft-boiled egg (runny yolk) – 9 minutes if you want the yellow yolk of the egg a little firmer – 10 minutes is the time for a perfect hard-boiled egg – 11 minutes if you want your hard-boiled egg yolk a little firmer

Some Egg Facts:

Each egg contains 6 grams of protein. Eggs contain the least expensive source of high quality protein at 20 cents per serving Eggs are a nutrient dense food. One egg has varying amounts of 14 essential nutrients including choline and vitamin D Eggs are low in calories. A medium egg only contains 70 calories.